1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication device that allows the user to perform image communication, and more particularly to a mobile terminal that allows the user to easily transmit high quality image information to another user and receive high quality image information from another user during image communication by performing simple operations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile terminals have generally been used for wireless voice communication. As mobile terminals have become more advanced, functions such as receiving images and multimedia transmissions over the Internet have been incorporated in addition to voice communication functions. Camera phones having various shapes of cameras for photographing a subject and storing the captured image as an image file are now widely used.
In addition, a rotary-type camera that may be rotated at a predetermined angle may be mounted on a mobile terminal, thereby enabling a user to conveniently photograph a subject. The mobile terminal supports image communication using the rotary-type camera.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional mobile terminal 1. The mobile terminal 1 includes a main body 20, a circuit unit (not shown) installed inside the main body 20 for controlling communication, a battery 22 detachably mounted on the rear side of the main body, a folder 30 hinge-coupled to the main body via a hinge device 40, an auxiliary display panel 31 and a main display panel (not shown) installed at the front and rear portions, respectively, of the folder and a camera unit 10 installed on the hinge device 40.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the camera unit 10 is a rotary type camera that may be rotated to photograph a subject according to various positions of the subject. The camera unit 10 includes a rotary cylinder 13 rotatably installed on the hinge device 40, a bracket 14 fixed to the main body 20 for supporting the rotary cylinder 13, a camera lens 11a installed on the rotary cylinder, and an FPCB 12 for transmitting signals by connecting the camera lens to the circuit unit.
In order to photograph a subject, the user adjusts the camera lens 11a to face the subject by rotating the rotary cylinder 13 in the circumferential direction 16 according to an image displayed on the main display panel and operates the camera via a photographing button when the subject is displayed on the main display panel in the desired position. However, when the user intends to transmit his/her image and a peripheral image to another user during image communication, the user must control the camera lens 11a to face himself/herself by rotating the rotary cylinder 13.
A camera having a large number of pixels to produce a high quality photographic image may be desired. On the other hand, a camera having a small number of pixels may be desired to produce a lower quality image with a reduced size in order to facilitate transmission of the photographic image during image communication.
However, the conventional mobile terminal includes only a single camera. Therefore, if a camera having a large number of pixels is provided, image data transmission is compromised while a high quality photographic image is not attainable if a camera having a small number of pixels is provided.
Therefore, there is a need for a mobile communication device that facilitates image data transmission while allowing a high quality photographic image to be captured in a manner that allows a user to easily view the subject that is photographed. The present invention addresses these and other needs.